Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Explain What You Need to Know About Dental Implants

Dental implants provide a safe solution for restoring teeth back to the function and appearance of natural teeth

Mission Viejo, Calif. – Whether you’ve lost teeth due to trauma or from conditions such as gum disease or dental decay, dental implants may prove to be the ideal replacement solution for you. Dr. Junil Ahn, DDS, MD, is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at OC Oral Surgery in Mission Viejo, California, and has extensive experience in dental implant-related surgery. For patients wanting to know whether this is the right solution for them, Dr. Ahn provides need-to-know facts about dental implants and the safe procedure he performs regularly at his practice.

For quick and easy reference, all the critical information current and prospective patients should understand about dental implants is available on OC Oral Surgery’s new website at http://www.ocoralsurgery.com. But first things first – what exactly are dental implants? Dental implants provide a way to restore teeth back to the function and appearance of natural teeth. They can be utilized to replace a single missing tooth, multiple teeth or a completely edentulous mouth. There have been great advances in dental implants, and the surgical staff at OC Oral Surgery uses state-of-the-art surgical techniques and technologies. Some of the newest technologies utilized include three-dimensional imaging, advanced grafting and dental implant techniques, and biologic growth factors. In certain cases, Dr. Ahn utilizes the All-on-Four Procedure to minimize bone grafting and healing time. With this technique, patients can have the implants and fixed temporary teeth attached to them on the same day.

Another important piece to understand about the dental implant procedure is pre-operative care. This is critical to the success and rapid healing time associated with the surgery. In some cases, intravenous (IV) anesthesia is recommended, which is why Dr. Ahn has undergone extensive specialized training in an American Dental Association-accredited hospital-based oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program. Patients anticipating IV anesthesia should not eat or drink at least six hours prior to their surgery, and should have a driver to take them to and from their appointment.

“Oral surgical procedures such as dental implant surgery can be anxiety provoking,” said Dr. Ahn. “We understand that, so we want to make the experience as pleasant and comfortable as possible for our patients. That is why we evaluate the patients’ health and address all concerns in order to provide the type of anesthesia that is the safest and most appropriate.”

In addition to having anxiety about the procedure itself, many patients that come to OC Oral Surgery for dental implants have concerns about the cost of the surgery. Prospective dental implant patients may see advertisements for “bargain” dental implant treatments, but cost should never be the primary consideration. “You have to remember that a dental implant is a surgically placed medical device that is implanted in your body,” said Dr. Ahn. “You may be tempted by the ‘bargain’ fees, but there are several factors to consider, as many low-cost clinics place dental implants that have no long-term research or clinical studies behind them. Although the well-researched dental implant systems cost more, we only utilize these dental implant systems to ensure our patients receive the best treatment possible.”

In addition, the experience of the dentist placing the dental implants can vary, so it is always important for the patient to ask the experience level and the type of dental implants that are being placed before undergoing surgery. The surgical staff at OC Oral Surgery recommends the high-quality dental implant systems they use at the practice to ensure that years from the procedure, the dental implant system is still sustainable in case any of the components need to be replaced or repair is required.

Following dental implant surgery, it is imperative for patients to comprehend and follow all postoperative instructions provided, and to take all medications as instructed. After a dental implant has been placed, there may be a small metal cylinder that protrudes through the gums, so they need to be extra cautious to avoid chewing on the area. In addition, the surgery site will contain sutures that should not be disturbed, so patients need to avoid rinsing their mouths for the first day after the dental implant placement.

For more information about dental implants, and other oral surgery procedures, please visit the online resources found on OC Oral Surgery’s website at www.ocoralsurgery.com.

About Dr. Junil Ahn, DDS, MD, Diplomat of American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery An Orange County native, Dr. Junil Ahn received his undergraduate degree at UC Irvine in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He went on to earn a dental degree from UC San Francisco and a medical degree from UC Davis. With his diverse background in dentistry, medicine and engineering, Dr. Ahn brings together the latest surgical techniques and technologies. He is recognized among the nation’s leading oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and is an active continuing education provider, giving numerous lectures in topics of surgical dental implantology, oral surgery, oral pathology, and medicine.

For more information about OC Oral Surgery, please visit the following social media pages:

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